Buckbuster Rape Seed (Athena Rape Food Plot Seed)

Plant 6 to 8 lbs. per acre.

Athena rape is forage rape that is widely planted for deer. Rape produces leafy forage that is relished by deer. This brassica is high in protein and is very palatable. This is also one of the easiest crops to grow. It is fairly tolerant to acidic soils, doing well from 5.5 and up. Athena Forage Rape does best in well drained soils, does not handle standing water or overly wet areas.

Plant seeds on a well-tilled seed-bed covering 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Fertilize and lime according to soil test. Brassicas also love Nitrogen, make a second application during the middle of the growing season to sweeten the food plot.

Athena
is a near-homozygous winter rapeseed cultivar with canola-quality seed
oil and canola-quality seed meal, selected for its high adaptability to
dryland and irrigated regions of the inland Pacific Northwest.

Athena
was evaluated in field trials in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon for six
growing seasons from 1996 to 1997 through 2001 to 2002. Evaluation
trials conducted during the 1998 to 1999 through 2001 to 2002 seasons
were part of the Pacific Northwest Winter Canola Variety Trials (Brown
et al., 1999; 2000; 2001; 2002). Performance was compared to four
commercially available cultivars: Ericka, Ceres, Cascade, and Olsen. The
cultivars Ericka (Brown et al., 1997), Cascade (Auld et al., 1987),
Ceres, and Olsen [N. Deut. Pflanzenzucht (Germany)] have occupied almost
the total acreage of winter canola in the region over the past 10 yr.
Field trials were planted using bulked seed remaining from the Breeders
Seed increase of single plant plots.

After
fall seeding, Athena seedlings emerge quickly and produce a good fall
stand compared to the other check cultivars. This is particularly true
when planted late in the fall directly seeding into straw stubble. On
average, Ericka flowered after Day of Year (DOY) 128, while Athena
flowers significantly later, averaging DOY 131. The flowering date of
Athena is not significantly different from Ceres or Olsen. Plant height
of Athena is 144 cm, significantly taller than Ericka, but not
significantly different from Ceres or Olsen. Despite producing tall
plants, Athena is resistant to lodging and was found to be significantly
less likely to lodge compared to Olsen. Athena plant maturity is
intermediate, being significantly later than either Ericka or Cascade,
but not significantly different from Olsen or Ceres. Athena has a
determinate growth habit with plants drying down evenly at maturity, an
advantage to growers because this can help avoid seed shatter and aids
in harvesting. Seeds are dark brown in color and medium to large size.

Averaged
over 56 evaluation trials, Athena produced significantly higher seed
yield than any check cultivar. Athena was highly adapted
to later planting and direct seeding into cereal stubble. The yield
advantage of Athena was particularly noted under these conditions.
Athena was the highest yielding entry in five of the six years tested
and was second highest in the other year.